


No 14. Is Something Burning?

by Smiley5494



Series: Whumptober 2020 [13]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fire, Gen, Whumptober 2020, no 14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 07:28:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26968264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smiley5494/pseuds/Smiley5494
Summary: Often, Merlin dreamed of the pyre.
Series: Whumptober 2020 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965595
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30





	No 14. Is Something Burning?

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt:
> 
> No 14. IS SOMETHING BURNING?  
> Branding | Heat Exhaustion | **Fire**

Often, Merlin dreamed of the pyre. 

It was hard, often downright terrifying being a sorcerer under Uther’s rule and Merlin was no exception. It was a regular reoccurring nightmare, often featuring Gaius and Gwen burning beside him, and Arthur’s face as Uther orders their execution. 

Merlin couldn’t stand them, it had gotten to the point where even the sight of the flames or the hint of smoke could make him freeze. The dreams were always so detailed, more than once he had woken up it often took him a while to realise that everyone was still there, that the flames hadn’t been real. 

Gaius had woken him from one such dream, back when he still made noise when he had nightmares. He’d been so shaken Gaius had to promise that Gwen was alright, that Arthur would fight for them, that Morgana wouldn’t see them burn. 

What had started as a mild dislike had quickly become a paralysing fear. 

To Merlin, he would be glad if he never had to see another flame in his life. Luckily for him, the mind-numbing terror had come after Kilgharrah’s attack, and Arthur blamed his fear on the dragon, not the semi-regular burning of sorcerers.

When he had to start a campfire, his hands always shook and he couldn’t form words. Lancelot always noticed, and when he could, he took over for Merlin. Gwaine kept the tradition up after Lancelot died, starting the fires for Merlin. Percival—as it turned out—was a good cook, and he took over the cooking portion of Merlin’s duties. Merlin was ever grateful for his friends, his family. They didn’t have any reasoning, simply noticed that Merlin flinched away from fire and always avoided it whenever he could. 

Merlin often dreamed of the pyre, and it still paralysed him with fear; but now he saw his friends in the audience, fighting to get to him.


End file.
